Good morning.
It’s going to be big week on Cultivated. On Tuesday, we’re launching a new stream with our partners at the Canadian Securities Exchange, and on Wednesday, we’ll stream Episode 2 of Banker on Call with Shield Compliance. Be sure to follow us on LinkedIn and subscribe on YouTube.
Let’s get to it.
-JR, CC
Today’s newsletter is 998 words or about a 7-minute read.
THIS NEWSLETTER MADE POSSIBLE BY:
💡 What’s the big deal?
IDAHO
Idaho takes aim at medical cannabis - a Red State phenomenon
A contentious battle is underway in Idaho to fight medical cannabis legalization efforts through a November ballot measure, emblematic of Red State firewalls that have stymied national industry growth for more than a decade.
Through April 4, the Natural Medicine Alliance of Idaho has collected more than 77,000 unverified signatures from registered voters, according to its website.
Under state law the campaign must gather 70,725 signatures from Idaho voters and at least 6% of registered voters in 18 of 35 legislative districts, according to NORML.
Though the signatures have yet to be verified, Republican lawmakers in the state Senate last week adopted a resolution urging voters to not sign the petition for the Idaho Medical Cannabis Act, which would permit patients with a doctor’s recommendation to buy medical marijuana from state licensed operators.
The alliance is collecting signatures at regional offices in Boise, Twin Falls, and Idaho Falls, as well as permanent locations and events throughout the state.
The Senate resolution, drawing on outdated tropes and fear mongering, states medical cannabis legalization would have “devastating impacts on Idaho children and their families” and "effectively legalize widespread recreational use.”
The policy position and other recent anti-cannabis legislation in Idaho are against the will of voters.
Last year Republican Gov. Brad Little signed legislation imposing mandatory minimum penalties for first-time possession, one of only a few states that criminalize it.
Lawmakers in 2025 also passed a bill that will have Idaho voters in November weigh in on a November ballot question that would prohibit “any future voter-initiated ballot questions legalizing marijuana.”
“Lawmakers are aware that their hostility toward medical cannabis is out-of-step with most voters,” NORML’s Deputy Director Paul Armentano said in a post last week on the organization’s website. “That is why politicians are seeking to remove voters’ voices from the equation.”
In Idaho, Republicans control the offices of governor, secretary of state, attorney general, and both chambers of the state legislature.
According to a late October statewide poll, 83% of Idahoans support legalizing medical cannabis access, The Maijuana Herald reported.
-CC
Cannabis Finally Has a Credit Tool That Works for Both Sides
Every other industry runs on credit. Retailers order inventory on terms. Suppliers extend net-30s to build relationships. The whole system moves because cash doesn't have to change hands at the moment the deal is made.
Cannabis operators have largely been shut out of that system — until now.
ReadyPaid is a B2B Buy Now, Pay Later platform purpose-built for cannabis and hemp.
For buyers, it means up to six months to pay, predictable cycles, and the purchasing power to capitalize on big moments — like the 4/20 weekend ahead.
For sellers, it means getting paid upfront while offering buyers the flexibility they want. No waiting. No risk. Up to a 45% increase in average order size.
The platform is backed by FundCanna, the leading cannabis financing company in the U.S., with nearly $250M funded to date.
If you're heading into 4/20 constrained by cash flow, there's a better way.
→ Learn more at ReadyPaid.com
sponsored
⏩ Quick hits
A commission appointed by North Carolina Democratic Gov. Josh Stein issued an interim report recommending the regulation of THC products for adults rather than criminalization, Marijuana Moment reported. North Carolina is one of only eight states without medical or adult-use marijuana legalization.
Minnesota's Office of Cannabis Management has reopened the application window for low-dose hemp edible business licenses after processing more than 2,200 applications in October, according to KSMV-TV, a Fox affiliate based in Eden Prairie, Minn. Regulators have approved more than 1,500 hemp business licenses in the state, where the hemp product movement took root more than three years ago.
Virginia Democratic Gov. Abigail Spanberger, who has publicly supported cannabis legalization and adult sales, has until April 13 to approve a bill that will start business licensing July 1 and sales as early as November, a rather short window for a turnaround.
🤝 Deals, launches, partnerships
The Classic Events, which links industry networking at consumption-friendly golf courses, has announced its lineup for the year, highlighted by some of the nation’s most historic and prestigious venues.
Toking tour stops include:
July 13: The Ohio Classic at NCR Country Club, host of the U.S. Women’s Open, U.S. Senior Open, PGA championship and United States Golf Association events.
Sept. 3: The New York Classic at Bethpage State Park Golf Course, often considered the top public golf course in the country and host of the Ryder Cup.
December 1: The Vegas Classic annual kickoff event in partnership with MJBizCon.
Other events are planned in August at Cog Hill Golf & Country Club in the Chicago suburb of Lemont and The Cali Classic will return in November in Orange County at the Waldorf Astoria Monarch Beach in Dana Point.
“Cannabis has historically been shut out of spaces like these private clubs, championship venues, legacy institutions and parts of society where deals get done,” event founder James Keyes told Cultivated. “We’re now seeing the shift in real time where cannabis operators and executives are not only being welcomed, but hosting high-level business and philanthropy in these environments.”
The business is more than a passion project for the Ohio entrepreneur who survived a brain tumor.
“I built The Classic Events with a purpose component, each event supports brain health and research initiatives, tying together business, community and cause in a way that resonates with this industry,” Keyes said.